Fulfilling the Need:
It has been argued that investigator meetings are the nucleus of clinical trials--the success of the study depends on them. They are also quite involved to organize, and costs can easily skyrocket out of control. There is also some debate about how well information retention can be achieved in such short periods of time, and whether or not it makes more sense to offer content in "segments," so that better adult learning practices can be built in to content and program design.
Web-based meetings offer huge cost and time savings, help with quality, and given people’s schedules and travel considerations, we are finding that they are starting to be somewhat preferred by investigators. Barnett clients are seeing higher attendance rates for virtual meetings, and the ability to present information in carve-out "focus" sessions (more sub-sessions overall) has resulted in better protocol compliance.
Key Components of Barnett’s Services:
Barnett has responded to this need by creating a “virtual investigator meeting” platform, where clients are provided with web hosting solutions that are seamless, ensure interactivity, and maximize the use of the web platform to create a memorable and outcomes-focused session. Core services that Barnett offers include:
Meeting set-up, including website development and branding
Management of promotional activities including invitations, communications and confirmations
Pre- and Post- assessments and evaluation
Subject Matter Expert orientation and speaker training
Assistance with the development of interactive components and audience polling
Event hosting, including pre-event customer service, login support, facilitation and moderation and recording
Reporting of pre- and post-event registration, evaluation and interactivity results
Logistical Components:
Barnett utilizes the WebEx "training center" product as our foundation and creates a seamless, "branded to your company" experience for your attendees. All that is required of attendees is a computer, high speed internet connection and a telephone line. WebEx has many unique features built in that make the user experience a very easy logistical experience.
Getting Started:
To get started, we would suggest starting with a demonstration of our services, and allow us to walk you through the experience that your investigators would have during a virtual meeting. From there, we can further custom-tailor the experience, and create a "mock" session for your planning group. To plan a session, contact Naila Ganatra - General Manager, Barnett Educational Services at (215) 413-2471 or nganatra@barnettinternational.com.